


Francis

by SketchLockwood



Category: 15th Century CE RPF, Historical RPF, The Hollow Crown: The Wars of the Roses (2016), The Sunne in Splendour - Sharon Kay Penman, The White Queen (TV), Wars of the Roses Fiction
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-13
Updated: 2018-01-13
Packaged: 2019-03-04 07:42:02
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,969
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13359684
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SketchLockwood/pseuds/SketchLockwood
Summary: William Stanley is called to court to confront a matter he is innocent of.TW: contains mention of childhood abuse.





	1. Chapter 1

London, 1465

“Your gra-“ William Stanley shook, his body as well as his hands. The great man before him held no sign of mercy on his face as he paced the hall. Men and women watched, each silent. Even Elizabeth the Ice Queen sat for once in silence, unmoving as she leaned forward in her chair, hands clasping the ornate arms.

“Shut up!” Edward shouted. “Shut up.” William looked to the floor sharply, his hand clenched almost imperceptibly. He could not help but curse her in that moment, the woman he loved so dear

“Edward, please.” William Hastings spoke, bowing as he did if only to make himself seem more humble. “Maybe you should listen to him-“

“I have listened to quite enough for one day! As if I did not grant enough mercy to that family when I forgave them after Towton! My leniency will not be taken advantage of.” Sharp blue eyes fixed on William Stanley as Edward stopped his pacing. His voice was little more than an agitated whisper. “I forgave him, John Lovell, for my sins, and he betrayed me again. I forgave your Joan, and now I have been told she has betrayed me again? My mercy won’t be extended any further.”

“Your grace.” Stanley tried, his voice steady. “Please listen.”

“Oh don’t get me wrong, William, I’d love to listen all day but my patience is wearing thin.”

“Grant me a private audience.” Stanley hissed. “I can hardly well defend my wife in public-“

“You wish to defend her at all? Then tell me why I should not condemn you as well?”

“She is innocent of anything of which you accuse her-“

“And you would be so sure?” Edward laughed at first, a cold sound. A sound that soon stopped. “You poor naive fool. Come.” Stanley paused a moment as Edward lead from the hall, toward his own apartments, followed by William Hastings. It was not until Edward was seated in his solar, the offer of a seat extended to none other that Edward spoke. “What do you know of why you have been brought here?”

“None. Only that I have earned your displeasure and for that I am truly sorry.”

“It is not you who has earned my displeasure Bill. But Joan.”

“I do not understand-“ his words were quickly cut off.

Edward clicked his fingers toward Lord Hastings, looking toward the Chamberlain who sighed but nodded, making a hand signal. Stanley sighed, tapped his foot on the tiles before he looked up, arching an eyebrow.

“Jane?” He coughed, looked to Edward. “Why do you have my wife’s maid?”

“She left your wife’s service not long since?”

“Yes, that’s correct. What is she-“

“She and three others, three not ever in your own service, have been most useful in building a case against Joan.”

“I don’t understand.” Stanley’s voice was weak. For the first time that day he saw Edwards sympathy.

“Hastings, get Bill and drink, sit.” He extended an arm toward the chair next to him. Stanley sat. “It is not treason, I see from your face you think it is. That is the only comfort I can offer you.”

“Christ.” Stanley let out a gasp of relief. “What has she done Ne- Your grace? What has she done?” There was a hint of emotion to his tone. He gulped wine held in shaky hands as Hastings handed him the cup.

“Take a moment. Then I shall let Jane explain.”

  
“I do not want a moment. I want this torture to end.”

“Jane?”

“Yes my lord.” She bobbed a curtsy, looked to the floor before she spoke. “My lord- sir. I was witness to many things when I worked for the Lovell’s. Many things and none were often good.”

“I have heard John was... a swine.” Ned scoffed, nodded, turned his head away. Stanley moved away in his chair as Ned clenched his fist, bit his knuckle. Winded as blood seeped. “Christ how bad is this Ned? This is not like you. Something has made your behaviours quite ill.”

“Just listen.” Edward whispered. “You’ll see. Continue madam.”

“Sir John was a violent man.”

“So I heard, that is not new. He beat Joan frequently I do not see what this has to do with Joan.”

“He would beat the servants sir.” The girl looked to the floor sharply, she was jumpy, skittish. Stanley froze. Cursed under his breath. “He beat the children too.”

“The children?”

“Yes sir. The children. He.” She stuttered. “He.. he. I cannot sir.”

“He beat the boy, Francis, to the point of near death.” Edward spoke with a regained bitterness. “He did worse, but I will save you.”

“I...” Stanley choked a little. “I don’t understand what this has to do with Joan.”

“Because she watched Bill. She watched and she knew and she did nothing. She did not a thing. Not a small boy was helpless. She may as well have kicked him whilst he was on the floor, do you understand my anger Now Bill? It was never at you but the boy is still scarred. I have seen them, even those which cannot be seen.”

“Ned I must ask. You mentioned the boy, Francis... what of the girls?”

“Jane?”

“The older, madam Joan. Yes, she received some of his most unwanted attentions.” Jane spoke quietly. “But she was not so unlucky as master Francis.”

“The whoreson. Who could do that to-“

“Whoreson indeed.”

“She was scared Ned. Please, do extend your merc-“

“No. I can’t. I can forgive much, but this? No. She was as guilty as he for she did nothing to try.”

“Ned. God what are you going to do?” Stanley pleaded.

“I cannot let her profit.. her lands are forfeit. All she inherited from that creature. It is only fitting that Francis inherit all he suffered for.”

Sent from my iPhone


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to Michi :)

Joan was waiting for him when he returned to their lodgings. He could tell from her concerned smile, the relief on her face when he came in, and for a moment he felt nothing but joy to see her, as he always did.

His wife. Still a new, exciting thought, but his instinctive reaction was almost immediately overshadowed by what he had heard.

What she had seen. What she had done, or rather failed to do. It froze all feelings of joy, of anything but horror, and stopped him in his tracks.

Almost without noticing, he had gone towards her to greet her, and his sudden stop did not fail to get her attention. "Will?", she asked, her voice trembling. "Will, what happened?"

He knew she was concerned. Worried. For him. Maybe more than she had ever been - but no, that could not be.

"Why did you not tell me?", he burst out. "Why?"

Joan took a step back, staring at him, and to his horror he could see fear in her eyes for the shortest of moments. As if he was the monster she had previously been wed to.

"Tell you what?", she asked, but he was sure she knew. Could tell from the sweat on her upper lip.

Suddenly he asked himself if the boy - her son - who she had once said looked just like her, had had that, when he was frightened. Staring at his father and suddenly he felt like vomiting.

He swallowed, then said, roughly. "What he did. Your -" The words "first husband" stuck in his throat. "John."

All colour drained from Joan's face, leaving her looking so miserable he wanted to take her in his arms.

But right now, he wanted an answer first. Had she not trusted him to say? Or had it meant nothing to her, a meaningless cruelty of that whoreson?

No. William dismissed the thought as soon as it had come. Her face belied that, as did her voice when she spoke after several moments, moments so long they gave him an idea what hell had to be like. "How do you - where did you hear, Will?"

"The king said!" William could not stop the outburst, the words coming as if of their own accord. "He said - he was so furious - rightfully - I thought the court had gathered to watch my downfall -"

Joan gasped, her whole face sweaty now. "He did not - my boy - everyone knows now -"

William had never heard her refer to her son as "my boy" before, and that was all it took for him. Suddenly, despite the situation, he felt short relief. She had cared. She still did.

Some part of him he had suppressed

Some part of him he had suppressed was weak with relief and he went to hold her, feeling unaccountably better with the familiar weight of her head against his shoulder.

"He did not", he said. "He allowed me to hear it in private - but I have never seen him so furious before."

Joan made a choked noise, drew away. "He did not punish you - because he thought you had known -"

William shook his head. "But he did punish you." He spoke bluntly, because he did not know how else to tell her. "You won't inherit much, if anything, from the monster - Joan, why did you not tell me?"

Unexpectedly, his wife gave a short laugh. "It is said the king is just - and now he has proved it. I should be punished - not protecting the children - trying to ignore, then to forget -"

"But why?" William exclaimed, again. "Why?"

"Because I could not murder him", Joan said, against his shoulder. "I did not have the strength. I knew - I learnt. My boy - he - he never said a word - but when John looked at his sister - he kicked and screamed and cried."

Bile rose in William's throat, and he swallowed heavily again as Joan continued, shakily. "The blood - I should have killed John but I could not. I knew - tried to forget because I knew it was my fault as much - as much -"

"No." William heard his own voice as if it was a stranger's. "It was never your fault"

Joan sobbed, going on as if he had not heard him. "When - when he died - when I told my son he was dead - my son said - "Father James says he will go to hell". It was all he said."

Joan was talking as if he was a priest too, as if she was in confession, and William could feel her shaking, knew he was too. "I - ", she continued. "I told him yes, I imagined he was now, and my boy looked to the ground - then he vomited. Suddenly. Without warning, and Will - Will - it was the first and only time I completely understood him.

William said nothing as she stopped, then continued. "I went to him. Held him, held him as he vomited all over my dress. It was - all I ever did for him and even then I knew - never would I say. I - I -"

"Joan", William whispered, finding his voice. "I understand - I -"

Joan looked at him, and though there were no tears in her eyes, they seemed red-rimmed. "I don't", she said. "He will grow up to despise me, as his sister does for not protecting him as he did her, as the king does."

"But not me." William's voice was steady, despite the fact he felt dirty for knowing what he did now. "There was nothing for you to do - the Lord did judge."

Joan looked at him, then threw herself at him. "Will", she said, and now she did cry. "Oh. Will."

William thought that perhaps, the boy would grow up to despise her. Perhaps, he would be right.

But he would always love her. She, whose fault had been not having been able to kill in defense. He loved her, and that, he knew, was right to.

 


End file.
